1. Introduction
This invention relates to a shopping bag designed to reduce lower back strain when carrying heavy loads. More particularly, this invention relates to a reusable shopping bag characterized by carrying handles positioned to reduce lower back strain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional shopping bag, when filled for example with groceries, is typically carried by placing one or both arms beneath the bag and leaning the bag against the body while bending the body backwards for leverage and support. This method of transporting heavy loads places a strain on the lower back muscles that cannot be tolerated for long periods of time by a relatively large segment of the population.
Shopping bags have been designed to make the carrying of heavy loads less burdensome. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,091, incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a composite carrying handle for an expandable bag that comprises a pair of handles each fastened to a side of the container and each consisting of two straps of flexible strong material, the two straps of each handle being fastened together at an intermediate section which is the section to be gripped by the user. A similar but improved composite handle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,684, incorporated herein by reference.
The handles disclosed in the above-referenced patents reduce strain resulting from the carrying of heavy loads. However, the handles are designed such that the strain is shifted to one arm or the other, or alternatively, to the lower back. The carrying handles disclosed in said patents are not designed to distribute the weight of the load over a substantial portion of the body.